From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpreservepre‧serve1 /prɪˈzɜːv $ -ɜːrv/ ●●○ W3 verb [transitive] 1 CONTINUE/NOT STOPto save something or someone from being harmed or destroyed → preservation We must encourage the planting of new trees and preserve our existing woodlands.► see thesaurus at protect2 CHANGE/BECOME DIFFERENTto make something continue without changing the responsibility of the police to preserve the peace Norma tried to preserve a normal family life in difficult circumstances.3 DFKEEP/STOREto store food for a long time after treating it so that it will not decay black olives preserved in brine —preservable adjective —preserver noun [countable] → well-preserved→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
preserve• The house is part of local history and should be preserved.• And there are still preserved among Christians traces of that Holy Spirit which appeared in the form of a dove.• We want to preserve as much open land as possible.• Here's a recipe for preserving fruit in brandy.• Britain knows it has to preserve Hong Kong's autonomy.• Human organs, preserved in jars, lined the shelves of the laboratory.• An example is preserved in the Museum.• Early settlers preserved meat by drying and salting it.• So conservationists hope they can preserve the area's outstanding natural beauty and cater for the tourists too.• The calculation proceeds for as many time-moments as will preserve the desired accuracy.• The Forestry Commission are making valiant efforts to re-create these old woodlands, and are trying to preserve the little that remains.• The new law preserves the national guarantee of health care for poor children.• As a family, we want to preserve the traditions of Jewish culture and religion.• All the names in the book have been changed to preserve the victims' anonymity.• Boots are advisable and cameras are essential for those who like to preserve their memories in photographs.• He destroyed the heart of the city but then decided to preserve what could be preserved.preservepreserve2 noun 1 [countable usually plural]DF a substance made from boiling fruit or vegetables with sugar, salt, or vinegar homemade fruit preserves2 [singular]SUITABLE an activity that is only suitable or allowed for a particular group of people Banking used to be a male preserve.preserve of The civil service became the preserve of the educated middle class.3 [countable]DS an area of land or water that is kept for private hunting or fishingExamples from the Corpus
preserve• Many gentiles agreed that the Latter-Day Saints had good reason to be concerned about holding on to their Kingdom as a preserve.• This is the exclusive preserve of the cave explorer who cares less for personal discomfort.• Because work is still considered a male role, leisure, similarly, is thought to be a male preserve.• a profession that was for years an all-white, all-male preserve• Every head would turn if a woman walked into one of those male preserves.• Combine the preserves and water in a small saucepan and heat until preserves melt.• Where affection is the preserve of family and friends, status is more the preserve of the wider peer group or community.• Most visitors to the preserve now park their cars outside the main gate and either hike, bike or ride horses in.• the nation's first wilderness preservepreserve of• Sending satellites into space was once the preserve of governments.Origin preserve1 (1300-1400) French préserver, from Late Latin praeservare, from Latin servare “to keep, guard, watch” 